SANTIAGO – Chile posted a trade surplus of $4.14 billion in 2015, down from $7.76 billion the previous year, the Central Bank reported on Thursday.

Last year’s surplus was the result of exports valued at $63.35 billion and imports of $59.22 billion.

The value of exports decreased by 16.3 percent from 2014, while imports were 12.8 percent lower, the report said.

Foreign sales of copper, Chile’s main export, brought in $31.13 billion in 2015, or 17.81 percent less than the $37.87 billion earned the previous year. Total mining exports generated $33.57 billion last year, or 18.20 percent less than the $41.04 billion earned in 2014.

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